Tylers And Tyling.

on the 31 st . of the same month , and as he served the lodge as Tyler until 1 S 00 , ho no doubt properly appreciated the honour conferred upon him . 1 ( lo not personally vouch for the truth of the following story , as 1 was not present at the time the incident is supposed to have taken place , either at the latter part of last century or the beginning of the present . It is taken from a history of the old Lodge at llandon , co . Cork , by Bro . George Bennett , Barristerat-Law , and was retold by Bro . Dr . Chetwode Crawley , Senior Grand Deacon of Ireland , in his" Notes on Irish Freemasonry , " in Vol . IX ., Transactions of Lodge , Quatour Coronati .

" Some years ago , a gentleman whom we shall call Mr . B— , was balloted for and accepted as a candidate for Masonic honours , lie was duly noticed to he present at tho Devonshire Arms on a certain day for initiation , and he attended . As hc ascended thc staircase , ominous knocks aud the muttcrings of distant thunder caught his ear , and by no means helped to allay the fears which had possessed him during tbe greater part of thc previous week . Arriving on the landing , he gently asked the tylcr may ho go in ; hut tho redoubtable Dick

Baylie would not even allow him to put Ins noso inside the scarlet curtain -which hung some feet in front of the lodge-door . Even the dress the tylcr wore appeared in harmony with the sanguinary and mysterious deeds that were said to have been perpetrated within . A huge red cloak covered him to the very toes ; the largo sleeves which linng below his hands terminated in cuffs of orange velvet , on each of which was a representation of a- skull and cross-bones in lustrous black ; the blue

collar had on it moons and stars of bright yellow , and candlesticks , compasses , and other cabalistic symbols of the Craft , nearly covered it with odd-looking devices On his head was a gigantic cocked hat , which would almost have served him for a boat , it was so large . This was surmounted with blue and red feathers , and in his hand was a flaming falchion . ' Keep off ! ' said the terrible Dick , as the bewildered candidate moved forward a step or two , ' or before you can say domine sa / nim nicfitc , I'll run you through the gullet . "

"Mr . 11 , not caring to encounter so fierce-looking an opponent , went down stairs , and after strolling about for a little time , he sauntered into the kitchen . A roaring lire was down at the time , and the covers whicli lay on the various cooking utensils kept up a perpetual trotting match with one another , as if lo see which of them would he on the floor first ; but tho monstrous poker —more than half of which was thrust iu between the bars , and which already looked soft and white with tho glow of intense heat—lixed his at lent ion at once . ' Ah ! well , Johanna , ' said the victim , addressing the cook in an assumed indifferent tone , ' whatdo vou want that big linker forr "

" ' Faith , sir , ' replied the latter , looking very thoughtful , ' 1 m afraid I'll get into a scrape about that same poker ? ' ' Why so ? ' ' I ' ccauso , by s : uue mistake , their own was taken up to the farm , and put as a prop under the loft where the master keeps the oats for the horses , and I suspect they'll never bo satisfied with this piece of wire ! ' looking contemptuously nt tho great poker . ' And who is it that-that-wants such a thing nt all ? ' falteriugly inquired poor 1 ! . ' Why ,

the Freemasons , sir , to be sure ! l'he Doctor ran down to me a while ago , and told me to be quick , as they were * going to make a mason immediately , and many is the one 1 reddened for them before ; but I suppose they'll kill me entirel y now ! ' 'And why wouldn't that poker do-do-tbem ? ' ' Yerra ! is it , lhat knitling-iieedle ? Whist ! by gor , here they are ! ' as a door was heard to bang upstairs .

Pressing Ins hat on his forehead , the applicant for masonic honours shot out of the kitchen like n Hash of lightning , and fleeing through the open door he bounded the limestone stops , and ran for his life . ' Come back ' . ' roared the cook ' Ilould him ! ' cried the boots ; ' Catch him ! ' shouled ( lie waiter , but away ho sped faster than before , when the fellows who lounged outside on the steps , ami

who , to do I hem justice , were never averse to a bit of fun , got au inkling of what occurred , they gave tongue with a , vengeance , and some nf I hem even gave chase , but ( hey might as well try and overtake a ( olographic message on its way to ils destination along Ihe wires . The alVrighted candidate was soon out ol sight ; and , from that day to the present , no one has ever seen him in ( hat locality . "

[ The odd costume of tho lyler , as described in the foregoing passage , requires a word of explanation , though it seems lo have presented nothing unusual to llro . Dennett , who was doubtless familiar with it from his lirst entry into tho Lodge . The emblems on the cloak referred not only to tlio Craft , but t . ) the lloyul Arch and Templar Degrees , so that the one garment could be used by the

Janitor , no matter which of the Degrees was being worked . The robe was a survival from the days when Craft Lodges in Ireland were accustomed to confer the lioyal Arch and Templar Degrees without any authorisation other than that which they considered their Craft Warrant to bestow on them . The practice was general throughout Ireland at the close of the last century , and held its ground during the early part of the present century . ] "

The old Tyler ' s coat , a front and back view of which is here depicted , is in possession of the Baton Lodge , No . 5 ' . 53 , Congleton . lt is copied by permission from voliimo six of the Transactions of the Lodge Quatuor Coronati , No . 2070 , where it illustrates a paper on Masonic clothing by llro . F . . 1 . W . Crowe , I' . I ' . G , Organist , A-e ., who stales that the coat originally belonged to the now extinct Harmony Lodge , at Knutsfoid . I need hardly say that it was not made foi the brother who has it on .

'The History of the Lodge of Belief , No . 12 , Bury , eiiiiains the following , under date . hine 2 ( ilh , 1 S 20 : " Amotion was made for new jewels for the in and out Giiurd ; and a coat for the Tyler , which was carried unanimously , " and wo learn

from the History of the Lodge of Fidelity , No . 283 , Leeds , that so recently as 1 S 33 if was proposed " that the Tyler bo provided with an oflicial coat . " I hopa 1 shall not bo deomod too presumptuous if , in concluding this paper , I venture to offer a few suggestions applicable , to Tyling as a profession .

As a Tyler of private lodges , my personal experience is comparatively small , but having been for upwards of 30 years constantly employed in the Grand Lodge buildings , in which about a hundred lodges and chapters hold their meetings , it may easily be understood that I have had ample opportunities for observation and for forming an opinion lis to the requisite qualifications for a good Tyler and

what 1 consider to he the proper way of discharging the du'ies of that office . Wilh the exception of that of the Masier I consider there is no ollice , appertaining Ion Freemason ' s , lodge , of greater responsibility than lhat of the Tyler , hence a corresponding degr . 'o of cam should ha exercised in the selection of a brother lo lill that post . Our Mmonie ancestors recognised the importance of the ollice and of the mode of selection when they enacted that the appointment

should not be the prerogative of the Master lor the time being , but should- bo vested in the whole lodge , as is the case with the Master and Treasurer , who must , however , be elected by ballot , whereas the Tyler may be chosen openly hy a majority of the brethren present . A probable reason for this distinction may he that should any member have aught to say against the brother nominated , ho may say it openly and leave the decision to the lodge .

Amongst , the large number ov professional Tylers engaged in the metropolis , there are , of course , many admirably adapted tor the position they fill , whilst others are sometimes met with who , in certain respects , are not so happily qualified . When a brother in his declining years , unfortunately finds his prospects in life less bright than they had hitherto been , ho generally turns ids attention to Tyling as a profession , but it does not necessarily follow that he will always

make a yand Tyler . It is not , however , my purpose to single out instances of failure that htivo como under my notice , nor to direct attention to tho peculiarities of certain individuals , but rather to describe , as briefly as possible , for the benefit of those who may aspire to tho ollice , how , in my opinion , a Tvler may best fulfil his duties

with satisfaction to his lodge and c .-edit to himself . Tn the first place I would point out the importance of carefully guarding hitwe ' . f against the temptation to over step the bounds of sobriety while on duty either at "labour" or at the subsequent " refreshment . " fn this respect it is but fair to say that I have observed a marked improvement in tho generality of Tylers of the present ; day as compared with some of those I have known in tho past . ' A Tyler should bo

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NATIONALORTHOPEDICHOSPITAL ( FOR THE DEFORMED ) , 234 , GREAT PORTLAND STREET , REGENT'S PARK , W , PiiKstiiKST—HIS GHACK TUG DUKR OF MARLBOROUGH . TiiKi - suiiKii— SIR JIOIIAC 1 * FAHQUHAlt , M . l ' ., L . C . C . Cripp led Children and Adults are hero relieved and cured , and many Patients , who wore well-nigh hopeless Cripples , cured by tho surgical skill and timely aid of this Charity , are now earning a livelihood . In 1896 , Two Hundred and Twenty-seven In-paUents , and 1238 out-patients were treated at the Hospital . ln the last 10 years , 1755 In-patients , and 11400 Out-patients passed through the Hospital . The Committee of Management very earnestly Appeal for help , to prevent a very heavy deficit on the year ' s Accounts . A Subscrip tion of £ 1 Is . entitles to Five Out-Fatient Letters , and £ 3 3 s . per annum to One Limited Free Bed and Ten Out-Patient Letters , Milkers—SIB , S , SCOTT , BART ., & Co ., 1 Cavendish Square . W . Secretary—MIL H . J , TBESIDDER , at the Hospital .